(1) Stidham,K (1050) - Washington,C (864) [C41]
Action Championship Warmup Ridgeland, MS (1), 03.02.2004
[Fritz 8 (30s)]

C41: Philidor Defence

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4
last book move

4...b6 5.Nc3 Bb7 6.Be2 Nf6 7.Bg5 Be7 8.0-0 0-0 9.Nf5 g6 10.Nxe7+ Qxe7 11.Qd4 Kg7
[ 11...Nbd7 12.Rad1+/- ]

12.Rfe1 a5
[ >=12...Nbd7!?+/- ]

13.Nd5 Bxd5 14.exd5 Qe5 15.Qh4 h5??
a blunder in a bad position [ >=15...Nbd7 16.Bb5 Qxb2 17.Bh6+ Kg8 18.Bxf8 Qxb5+- ]

16.Bxh5!
Demolition of pawn structure

16...Qxb2
[ 16...Nxh5 17.Rxe5 ]

17.Bf3
[ >=17.Rab1 and White wins 17...Re8 18.Bh6+ ( 18.Rxb2?? has the one big disadvantage in 1 18...Rxe1# ) 18...Kxh6 19.Be2+ ( 19.Rxb2 leads to instant death in 1 19...Rxe1# ) 19...Kg7 20.Rxb2+- ]

17...Nbd7 18.Bh6+ Kg8 19.Bxf8 Rxf8 20.Qc4 c5
[ >=20...Ne5 21.Qxc7 Nxf3+ 22.gxf3 Nxd5 23.Qxd6 Nc3+- ]

21.dxc6 Ne5 22.Qb3 Qxb3 23.cxb3
[ Instead of 23.axb3 Nxf3+ 24.gxf3 Rc8+- ]

23...Nxf3+ 24.gxf3 Rc8 25.Rac1 Nh5
[ 25...Kf8 26.f4+- ]

26.Re7
White prepares c7

26...Nf4 27.Rc2 Nd5
[ 27...Kf8 28.Rb7+- ]

28.Rd7 Nb4
[ 28...Kf8+- there is nothing better in the position]

29.c7 Kg7 30.Re2
[ >=30.Rd8 it becomes clear that White will call all the shots 30...Rxc7 31.Rxc7+- ]

30...Nd5 31.Rc2
[ >=31.Rxd6 seems even better 31...Nxc7 32.Rc6+- ( 32.Rxb6 is easily refuted 32...Nd5 33.Re5 Nxb6-/+ ) ]

31...Nb4 32.Rd8 Rxc7 33.Rxc7 Nxa2
[ 33...d5 doesn't do any good 34.Rb7+- ]

34.Rxd6 Nb4 35.Rxb6
[ >=35.Rb7!? might be the shorter path 35...Nc2+- ]

35...Nd5 36.Rcb7 Nxb6 37.Rxb6 Kh6
[ 37...Kf8+- there is nothing else anyway]

38.Ra6 Kg7 39.Rxa5 Kh6 40.b4 Kg7
[ 40...g5 doesn't get the bull off the ice 41.b5 g4 42.b6 Kg6 43.b7 gxf3 44.b8Q Kh7 45.Qg3 f5 46.Ra7+ Kh6 47.Qg8 Kh5 48.Rh7# ]

41.b5 Kh6
[ 41...g5 doesn't change the outcome of the game 42.b6 Kf6 43.b7 Kg6 44.b8Q Kf6 45.Qd8+ Ke6 46.Ra6+ Ke5 47.Qd6+ Kf5 48.Ra5# ]

42.b6 Kg7 43.b7 Kh6
[ 43...f6 hardly improves anything 44.b8Q f5 45.Ra7+ Kh6 46.Qf4+ g5 47.Qd6+ Kh5 48.Rh7# ]

44.b8Q Kg7
[ 44...Kh7 does not win a prize 45.Ra8 Kh6 46.Qe5 f6 47.Qxf6 Kh5 48.Rh8# ]

45.f4
[ 45.Qe5+ Kh7 46.Ra8 g5 47.Qf6 g4 48.Rh8# ]

45...Kh6
[ 45...Kh7 is no salvation 46.Ra8 g5 47.Qg8+ Kh6 48.Ra6+ f6 49.Rxf6+ Kh5 50.Qxg5# ]

46.Qh8# 1-0